1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of solid state x-ray detector crystals for use in energy dispersive spectrometry, and in particular to the shape of such detectors.
2. Related art
The invention is an improvement on U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,578 (referred to herein as ""578), which is incorporated herein by reference.
The preferred embodiment of the ""578 patent was rotationally symmetric. In other words, the detector had a front face on which the x-rays were incident and that face was circular. The detector also had rear face at which x-ray detection signals were supplied for collection. The rear face was also circular.
Use determined that this circular shape was not suitable where space was very limited. Since detectors of this type are commonly used inside electron microscopes or other systems with limited available volume, a better detector shape was desired.
It is an object of the invention to further improve the shape of the detector over the prior art.
The object is achieved with a detector crystal having a front face with an oblong shape.